Refrigerated dispensing cabinet



Oct. 4, 1966 L. R. HUTT REFRIGERATED DISPENSING CABINET Filed July 2, 1965 INVENTOR LESTEF? R. HUTT A TTORNEVS United States Patent 3,276,829 REFRIGERATED DISPENSING CABINET Lester R. Hutt, 104 Leicster Road, Tonawanda, N.Y. Filed July 2, 1965, Ser. No. 469,106 Claims. (Cl. 31236) This invention related to dispensing apparatus and particularly to means for dispensing butter pats or other articles requiring refrigeration.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises a cabinet including an ice holding compartment and a forward compartment for holding and dispensing butter pats, for instance, such forward compartment being inclined rearwardly whereby its front face is directed at an upward angle. As will be noted herein, such rearward inclination of the article holding and dispensing compartment accomplishes various important objects.

In a preferred arrangement and mode of operation of the present invention a relatively flat rectangular tray is provided and the front face of the aforesaid rearwardly inclined forward compartment of the cabinet includes a pair of inwardly directed side flanges along the opposite side edges of the body of the dispensing cabinet. The tray is slid edgewise into this compartment behind such flanges whereby the open side of the tray is exposed at the front of the compartment. Such open side is preferably provided with a transparent plastic panel or window through which the contents of the tray may be seen.

Since the cabinet is constructed so that it inclines the tray with its upper edge substantially rearwardly of the lower edge thereof, the face of the tray and the transparent front thereof is presented for easy viewing. Insertion of the tray thereof into the front compartment of the cabinet is facilitated since the bottom of the tray slides downwardly along an inclined wall which forms the rear wall of the front compartment of the cabinet and the front wall of the ice receiving compartment.

Furthermore, the rearwardly inclined position in which the tray is inserted in the cabinet and supported therein causes the butter pats to lie against the bottom of he tray and keeps them away from the front transparency of the tray which avoids smudging or smearing of the transparency and also keeps the stacks of butter pats more accurately aligned.

Since the rearward inclination of the front compartment is substantial, the consequent angular disposition of the tray of butter pats therein results in much less pressure of the stacks of butter pats on the lower pats and thus causes noticeably less sticking of the pats or deformation due to pressure thereon than where vertical stacks of butter pats are employed.

In effect, the tray of the present invention, when assembled in the cabinet, rests in a V-shaped support therein, the tray being supported at its bottom wall against the rear of the front compartment and an end wall at the lower portion of the inclined tray being supported at the bottom of such front compartment. Accordingly the tray may have plenty of clearance in such compartment, from front to rear, to facilitate easy entry of the tray into the compartment while at the same time the tray rests securely in such V-shaped support with no tendency to move or rattle about in the portion of the cabinet which receives the same.

This rearward inclination also avoids vibration or rattling of the front transparency of the tray which is preferably also loosely inserted in a receiving groove to facilitate ready removal for cleaning. Since the bottom wall of the metal tray lies directly against the metal sheet which forms the front wall of the ice compartment and is held thereagainst by gravity, good heat conduction between the metallic surfaces is assured and i and ice this maintains the butter pats in a better state of refrigeration.

A further advantage of the rearwardly inclined manner in which the butter pat trays are held in the cabinet of the present invention resides in the fact that the lower edge or wall of the tray, since it extends forwardly and upwardly, permits the fingers or band of an operator to be freely inserted therebeneath from the front of the cabinet to raise the tray to remove the same for reloading or replacement. Also the lower butter pats of each stack are more readily accessible than would otherwise be the case.

Because of the rearwardly inclined front face the cabinet has a trapezoidal outline as seen from the side and it will be noted that the base is of greater extent, from front to back, by reason of this design. Thus the cabinet has greater stability against tipping, particularly with respect to forces against the front thereof. Also, withdrawing the butter pats by an upward pull, as in the present case, results in less forward pull against the cabinet and less tendency for the cabinet to creep or shift forwardly.

Other objects and advantages of the tray arrangement and cabinet construction of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein is disclosed a typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention. However, it is to be understood that such embodiment is set forth by way of example only and that various mechanical modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, the same being limited only as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of one form of the butter pat dispenser of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally as indicated by the line III-III of FIG. 2.

Like characters of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings. The main body member of the dispensing cabinet comprises a bottom wall 10 and side walls 11 and 12 bent upwardly therefrom. It will be noted from FIG. 2 that the side walls 11 and 12 are generally trapezoidal, the front edges thereof sloping rearwardly in an upward direction.

An intermediate wall 13 extends upwardly rearwardly of and parallel to the front edges of the side walls 11 12 and in the present instance intermediate wall 13 includes a bottom member 14 which lies directly against and may be spot welded to the lower wall 10 of the main body member. Intermediate wall 13 also includes side flanges 15 which are spot welded to the side walls 11 and 12 of the main body member.

A rear wall member is designated 17 and has a lower flange 18 also welded to the structure comprising the main body member and the intermediate wall member. Rear wall 17 includes side wall portions which extend forwardly therefrom to the intermediate wall 13, such side wall extensions of rear wall 17 are designated 20 and extend beneath the flanges 15 of intermediate wall 13, being disposed between such flanges and the side walls 11 and 12 of the main body member.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the intermediate wall member 13, the main body member, and the rear wall member 17 define a rear compartment of trapezoidal shape having lower and side walls of double thickness. The rear vertical edges of the side walls 11 and 12 of the main body member are flanged inwardly as at 22 and spot welded to the rear wall member 17.

It will be noted from FIG. 2 that the foregoing construction provides a space forwardly of inclined intermediate wall 13 which is of generally parallelogram form as viewed in FIG. 2 and which inclines substantially rearwardly. This chamber is designated 24 in FIG. 2 and the front edges of the side walls 11 and 12 of the main body member are provided with return bent flanges 25 and 26 which define the front or forward plane of the rearwardly inclined forward chamber 24.

The flanges 25 and 26 stop short of the lower edge of the device as clearly shown in FIG. 1 and the front edges of the side walls 11 and 12 below the flanges 25 and 26 are return bent as at 27 and 28 to provide a smooth forward edge surface. The foregoing completes the fixed cabinet portion of the apparatus.

The rearwardly inclined forward chamber 24 receives a tray designated generally by the numeral 30 which includes a bottom or back wall 31, side walls 32, and a lower end wall 34. The upper or front face of tray 30 has longitundinal side flanges 35 bent inwardly from side walls 32 which directly underlie the flanges 25 and 26 of the cabinet body structure of the apparatus. A series of struck-out ears 38 in the side walls 32 of tray 30 are spaced fromthe side flanges 35 and cooperate therewith to receive and retain a transparent panel 39, in the present instance a panel of clear plastic material. The flanges 35 are bent inwardly at their lower ends as at 40 in FIG. 2 to serve as a bottom stop for panel 39. The lower end wall 34 of tray 30 is notched as shown at 41 in FIG. 1 to facilitate withdrawing butter pats.

Referring now to the use of the present apparatus for the specific purpose of dispensing refrigerated butter pats as in restaurant use, pats of butter designated 44 are conventionally served on cardboard squares 45. To facilitate stacking and ready separation and to protect the butter pats protective squares of thin paper overlie the pats as at 46 in FIG. 2.

To facilitate handling of the butter pats open topped paper cartons or containers 50 are provided, each of which receives a single stack of butter pats. In the instance being described by way of example, the tray 30 accommodates four cartons 50 arranged side by side and extending lengthwise of the tray.

Trays 30 filled with cartons 50 of butter pats 44 may be kept refrigerated until needed. When all of the butter pats of a tray 30 have been withdrawn therefrom, it is merely necessary to remove the tray 30 by reaching under end wall 34 of the tray to raise the same from the dispensing cabinet and replace the same with a filled tray from the refrigerator. Cartons 50 containing prepared butter pats may be furnished directly from dairies or butter suppliers.

A cover member 52 which in the present instance has flanges about its edges fits over the top of the cabinet as clearly shown in the drawing.

While reference is had herein to the dispensing of butter pats, it is to be understood that such reference is by way of example and the apparatus may be employed in holding and dispensing other articles requiring refrigeration such as containers of cream or cream substitutes and various other food items as well as medicinal preparations. In place of ice refrigeration, a thermoelectric module or other refrigeration means may be employed, for example, refrigerated cartridges or electronic refrigeration means. If desired the outer container walls may be insulated by double wall construction or otherwise.

What is claimed is:

1..In a dispenser for butter pats and the including a bottom wall, a rear wall, and

like, a casing side walls having their front edges extending upwardly and rear-- wardly to define a rearwardly inclined front plane, an intermediate wall disposed behind and parallel to said inclined front plane and cooperating with said bottom,

stacks of butter pats, inwardly directed flanges at the:

rear and side walls to form an ice receiving compartment, a generally rectangular relatively flat tray adapted to receive stacks of butter pats, inwardly directed flanges at the inclined front'edges of said side walls forming with said intermediate wall an inclined front space for receiving said tray, the latter being slidable edgewise thereinto from above to present said butter pats in rearwardly inclined stacks, said tray having a transparent panel covering the same and disposed substantially in said inclined front plane when said tray is in assembled position, said transparent panel stopping short of the end of the tray which is lowermost in assembled position whereby butter pats may be withdrawn forwardly from the bottom of a stack.-

2. In a dispenser for butter pats and the like, a casing including a bottom wall, a rear wall, and side walls having their front edges extending upwardly and rearwardly to define a rearwardly inclinde front plane, an interme: diate Wall disposed behind and paralle to said inclined front plane and cooperating with said bottom, rear and side walls to form an ice receiving compartment, a generally rectangular relatively flat tray adapted to receive inclined front edges of said side walls forming with said intermediate wall an inclined front space for receiving said tray to present said butter pats in rearwardly inclined stacks, said tray having a transparent panel covering the same and disposed substantially in said inclined front plane when said tray is in assembled position, said transparent panel stopping short of the end of the tray which is lowermost in assembled position whereby butter pats may be withdrawn forwardly .from the bottom of a stack.

3. In a dispenser for butter pats and the like, a casing including a bottom wall, a rear wall, and side walls having their front edges extending upwardly and rearwardly to define a rearwardly inclined front plane, an intermediate wall disposed behind and parallel to said inclined front plane and cooperating withsaid bottom, rear and side walls to form an ice receiving compartment, a generally rectangular relatively flat tray adapted to receive stacks of butter pats, means at the inclined front edges of said side walls forming with said intermediate wall an inclined front space for receiving said tray, the latter being slidable edgewise thereinto from above to present said butter pats in rearwardly inclined stacks, said tray having a removable panel covering the same and disposed substantially in said inclined front plane when said tray is in assembled position, said panel stopping short of the end of the tray which is lowermost in assembled position whereby butter pats may be withdrawn forwardly from the bottom of a stack.

4. In a dispenser for butter pats and the like, a casing including a bottom wall, a rear wall, and side walls having their front edges extending upwardly and rearwardly to define a rearwardly inclined front plane, an intermediate wall disposed behind and parallel to said inclined front plane and cooperating with said bottom, rear and side walls to form an ice receiving compartment, a generally rectangular relatively flat tray adapted to receive stacks of butter pats, means at the inclined front edges of said side walls forming with said intermediate wall an inclined front space for receiving said tray to present said butter pats in rearwardly inclined stacks, said tray having a removable panel covering the same and disposed substantially in said inclined front plane when said tray is in assembled position, said panel stopping short of the end of the tray which is lowermost in assembled position flanges whereby said tray may he slid downwardly between said transverse wall and said flanges to dispose the tray in a rearwardly inclined position with the stacks of butter pats extending upwardly, said tray including a transparent cover plate generally co-planar with the inclined front face of the receptacle when said tray is assembled therein, said transparent cover plate stopping short of the bottom of the tray when the latter is in assembled position whereby the lowermost butter pats may References Cited by the Examiner UNITED be readily withdrawn, said transverse wall defining rear- 10 CLAUDE A, LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

wardly thereof an ice receiving chamber. 

5. A RECEPTACLE OPEN AT THE TOP AND HAVING A REARWARDLY INCLINED FRONT FACE, A TRANSVERSE WALL REARWARDLY OF SAID FRONT FACE AND PARALLEL THERETO, A RELATIVELY SHALLOW TRAY MEMBER OF A DEPTH TO RECEIVE STACKS OF BUTTER PATS, SAID INCLINED FRONT FACE HAVING INWARDLY DIRECTED FLANGES WHEREBY SAID TRAY MAY BE SLID DOWNWARDLY BETWEEN SAID TRANSVERSE WALL AND SAID FLANGES TO DISPOSED THE TRAY IN A REARWARDLY INCLINED POSITION WITH THE STACKS OF BUTTER PATS EXTENDING UPWARDLY, SAID TRAY INCLUDING A TRANSPARENT COVER PLATE GENERALLY CO-PLANAR WITH THE IN- 